ITEM ONE: USA PLANNING TO NAME TEAM, HOLD CAMP: Slap Shots has learned that in a top secret (until now) Wednesday conference call that included Team USA management personnel and nine of the 10 players already selected for the 2002 Salt Lake Games, unanimous agreement was reached on the concept of naming the full 26-man roster by mid-summer in order to allow the Yanks to participate in a four-day orientation camp a week before the Sept. 11 opening of NHL training camps.

While the NHLPA is on record opposing training camps that would serve as tryout camps, Canada GM Wayne Gretzky and USA head coach Herb Brooks have been outspoken in their belief that their respective teams require some time on the ice together prior to the Olympic break that essentially will allow no time for meaningful practice or development of camaraderie.

Canada, which has named eight players to its team, has a far deeper pool from which to choose than does the USA, so Gretzky and his staff probably won’t be able to come close to selecting Canada’s roster this summer. Mario Lemieux, already named Canada’s Olympic captain, this week said that he would do whatever, ” . . . [Gretzky] thinks is appropriate for Team Canada . . . it’s important to get the guys together for awhile . . . I’m all for it.”

Lemieux, of course, does not belong to the PA. But while we can understand the sensibilities of proud veterans who want no part of being high-profile cuts from Canada’s highest-profile team, the NHLPA should leave individual choice to each individual. It’s time for the PA to take a step back here. It should recognize what the overwhelming majority of players recognize – that a training camp by any name is necessary – and thus remove the roadblock of illegitimacy to any such endeavor.

The league could also lend a hand here by allowing each country to hold a four-day camp concurrent with the opening of NHL camps. It’s foolish for the league, which, after all, is closing up shop for 12 winter days to accommodate the Olympics, to talk about not wanting to upstage its own season by allowing for early dual training camps.

It’s foolish for Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow to leave The Great Gretzky twisting in the Canadian wind.

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ITEM TWO, MARIUSZ WANTS OUT: Mariusz Czerkawski, who led the Islanders with 30 goals, 32 assists and 62 points, this week asked to be traded after a breakdown in contract negotiations, Slap Shots has learned. The 29-year-old winger, coming off a two-year, $2.5M deal in which he earned $1.5M last year, asked out when, in his perception, the Islanders sought to renege on an offer.

Islanders meanwhile are pursuing a deal that would send the second-overall pick in the Draft to the Senators in a package for Alexei Yashin. The Senators, eyeing Brad Isbister, Tim Connolly and Zdeno Chara, are smitten with Jason Spezza or Alexander Svivtov at No. 2. Islanders are also eyeballing Jason Allison, available for whatever reason in Boston, where, you might not have heard, Ray Bourque once played.

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ITEM THREE, 68TH AND BROADWAY: Though the Rangers have yet to submit an offer to Pittsburgh – and will not be offering Tomas Kloucek, Pavel Brendl, the 10th overall pick in Saturday’s Draft and Mike York for Jaromir Jagr – Glen Sather is very much in the game. Indeed, the Rangers may be the only player in the game, though we’re told the Red Wings would do Sergei Fedorov for Jagr in a Motown Minute. Expect the Rangers to offer York, any defenseman in the organization other than Kloucek or Leetch, the pick and perhaps Jan Hlavac to Craig Patrick, who began calling around last week.

Asked whether he would be willing to include the first-round pick in a hypothetical trade, Sather told Slap Shots: “I’ve said that I intend to build the organization through youth, but trading the 10th overall pick isn’t the end of the world. It’s not something I’m anxious to do, but it’s not out of the question.”

ITEM FOUR, THE LAST DOM: For once and for all, Dominik Hasek is not now and never has been willing to play for the Sabres for less than the $9M he’s guaranteed if Buffalo picks up its option by June 30. Sabres have not told Hasek they are refusing to exercise the option. We’re told that with Hasek’s knowledge – if not participation – the Sabres are attempting to trade the Vezina winner. St. Louis, looking to move Pavol Demitra, is very interested.

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PATRIK Elias, the All-Star who will earn $750,000 next season, has hired the notorious Mark Gandler to represent him. Would the agent rule out a training-camp boycott? “I’m just trying to take this all in; trying to evaluate the situation,” Gandler said on Friday. “At this point I don’t want to say anything more, but believe me, I have no devious plans, at all.”

Finally, you’re the Devils: Do you trade Scott Gomez and Colin White for Doug Weight and Tom Poti?